Cryptic Cravings 3

Chapter 2: Delicious

-Carmen Silvers Point Of View-

 Chapter 2: Delicious

"Carmen!" Matt cried, relief washing over his face as I sat down at the lunch table, Tuesday afternoon. Lena had given me a similar warm greeting

"Hey Matt!" I said, equally as excited. For some reason I had been severely missing my Pack, way more than usual. I figured maybe it was because there was more wolf in me now so now Pack life was more important.

"Jeez, someone's in a good," Liam remarked, raising his eyebrows at me as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Why wouldn't I be?" I countered, raising my eyebrows right back at him. Why wouldn't I be in a good mood? I had my life back on track, I got rid of Caleb for good, I Changed, I had my family, I had my Pack, and best of all I had my mate. My life was good, no, amazing. My life has never ever been so great.

Matt, who was sitting next to me like usual was silent but he was sniffing me, leaning closer as he inhaled, a frown clear on his face, "Carmen why do you smell different? You smell like..." he paused, looking for a word, "A forest...like outdoors."

A grin flashed across my face, "Guess."

Now everyone at my table was leaning closer and sniffing me, all with the same curious and slightly puzzled expressions on their faces.

"You Changed!" Liam blurted.

I nodded my head earnestly, grinning so broadly my cheeks hurt.

"Seriously?" Lena's jaw dropped.

"Seriously!" I said.

"How was it?"

"Did it hurt?"

"Was it hard?"

"Was it weird?"

"What was it like?"

"HOW?!"

A waterfall of questions landed on me and I couldn't help but laugh, "Guys come on. My hearing may have improved but it's still not good enough to hear all four of you at the same time."

"Sorry!" they all chorused before Liam leaned forward, "Did it hurt?"

"It hurt like a bitch," I said honestly. All of them jerked in surprise at me swearing. "If I'm swearing you know it hurts."

"Yikes," Kayla said, brown eyes wide.

"Yeah, but once you finish Changing and you're a wolf..." my lips tugged up in a smile as I remembered how free and powerful I felt, "It's the best feeling in the world."

"And Changing back?" Lena prodded.

I dropped my gaze to the fake wood table top, "I don't know," I admitted, "The first time I Changed back I passed out and woke up human. Ditto for the second time."

Concern washed over Kayla's face, "Was it scary? Not being able to Change back?"

"You have no idea," I shook my head grimly, "I just panicked. I kept thinking about all the 'ifs' and..." I took a breath, "Never mind. It's something I have to work on."

"What did it feel like as a wolf?" Liam asked curiously, blue eyes bright.

"It was...strange at first. It took me a while to figure out how to even walk properly," I chuckled, "Add snow and that just made it worse."

"Why? Were you a short wolf? No offence but you're kind of tiny...." Lena said, grinning impishly.

"Actually I was surprisingly kind of big; bigger than normal wolves," I said, remembering how I came up almost to Austin's shoulders.